"Now, as a gesture of kindness, I've decided to disclose some information. If I stay too secretive, people might start spreading more 'interesting' rumors. Believe it or not, it's up to you. My circle currently consists of nine people: Myself, Shizuka, Benkei, Sinon, Pitohui, Nyangoro, Ikoma, M, and Rosaria. Alright, introductions, please."
"Huh?"
"Introductions? For what?"
"Just shut up and listen."
One by one, the eight teammates spoke.
"I'm Shizuka. I'm Shana's classmate in real life."
"I'm Benkei. I'm Shana's younger sister in real life."
"Sinon here. I suppose you could call me Shana's sniping apprentice."
"I'm Pitohui. I tracked Shana down and basically forced my way into being his subordinate."
"Nyangoro. Another one of Shana's former classmates from the real world."
"Ikoma. Just a real-life friend of Shana's."
"I'm M. I'm mostly just here because I'm friends with Pitohui."
"I'm Rosaria. Shana is a student, but he also works—I'm his direct subordinate in the real world."
The crowd went dead silent. Then, the explosion of voices began.
"Hey... wait a minute..."
"Five of the eight are just his real-life friends and family?"
"The only ones who actually met him through the game are M, Sinon, and Pitohui?"
"Who the hell started those rumors?! Which one of you idiots believed them?!"
Shana reappeared on the screen.
"If you look at my real-life relationships, the gender ratio is one-to-two: Ikoma, Shizuka, and Nyangoro. If you had three friends, would that ratio really be so strange? Actually, for you guys, I guess it is. Is that why you had so much to say about me?"
Shana's voice dripped with provocation.
"As for Sinon and Pitohui? Sinon was a promising sniper candidate. Pitohui was just a fan who saw me in the first BoB and chased me down. If any of you had shown up before me as a sniper, you might have been in Sinon's spot. If any of you had actually put in the effort to meet me, you might have been in Pitohui's. And what was the other one? That I was 'threatening' them into submission? You guys really are hilarious."
By deliberately taunting them, Shana fanned the flames. The players grew heated, hurling insults back at the screen.
"How do we know any of that is true?!"
"Yeah! Prove it!"
"If you can prove it, then do it!"
"Honestly... I don't usually enjoy saying things like this," Shizuka said, stepping into the frame. She had expected the crowd to react this way. "But to everyone who jumped on those irresponsible rumors... you might want to take a look at the female players standing around you. Do you realize how they're looking at you right now?"
The male players instinctively glanced at the women nearby. They were met with cold, disgusted glares. In that instant, the "festive" atmosphere evaporated. The reality of their behavior began to sink in.
Pitohui added the finishing blow. "You guys put my friend Rosaria through something bordering on torture, didn't you? I'm sure some of you 'objected,' but facts are facts. If you stood by and watched, you're just as guilty. It's only natural Shana would be pissed enough to set this whole thing up."
"So the rumors about that were true..."
"That's awful..."
"Seriously, they went way too far."
The harassers had no comeback. They shrank back, visible guilt on their faces. Then, one of them noticed something.
"Wait... she said 'this kind of event'...?"
"Is there more...?"
The whisper spread. The crowd waited for Shana's next move. As if reading their minds, he returned.
"Some of you are starting to catch on. This event is my personal payback. To the innocent players who got caught up in this, I'm sorry—but since there's zero risk to you, just relax and enjoy the game. You can retire whenever you want.
"But to the idiots who hate me so much they can't see straight... let me ask you something. Do you realize what position you've put yourselves in? Do you even know where I am? Do you remember the rule about having to fight once a day to stay in?
"The ratio is 8 against 211. Tell me... can you even find the White Army?"
The players in the Red Army froze as the logic hit them.
"8 versus 211... and they probably have high-mobility vehicles..."
"Where the hell are they?! If we can't find them, we'll all be disqualified without ever firing a shot!"
"He played us... the numbers are too lopsided!"
Despair began to set in. They were trapped. Sensing the opening, Shana whispered his next words into the mic.
"Well, it wouldn't be fair if you couldn't even try to vent your frustrations. Here's some good news. Look closely at the screen. This is a special live feed from the camera on my flag."
The crowd leaned in.
"Hey, isn't that 'The Tree'?"
"Yeah, no doubt about it! But that's way out in the middle of nowhere..."
"At least we know where they are now!"
"We'll be using this area as our base of operations for a while," Shana continued. "To the three unknown squads on the White side: if you can make it here, I promise to protect you. You can contact me privately if you need to. I'll be heading back to the city occasionally, too."
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